Kitchen cabinetry and the like are fundamental fixtures found in almost every home. Although the aesthetics and craftsmanship may vary from product line to product line, almost all kitchen cabinets are installed in the same manner. Namely, a designer (or installer) evaluates the available space and generates a design layout according to standard sizes available from a given manufacturer. Cabinets are then ordered (or are custom built) and delivered to the site. Alternatively, cabinets are custom manufactured at great expense and time. A contractor installs the cabinets by mounting each cabinet to the wall or floor, and then they are finished with a countertop and/or any necessary customization to provide a finished look.
While there may be some variation among products lines, cabinetry generally includes wall cabinets that are mounted to the wall or base cabinets that are mounted to the floor and/or adjacent wall. Larger kitchens may utilize dozens of individual cabinets, each of which must be manufactured off-site according to predetermined specifications, packaged and shipped in bulky containers. The contractor in turn is then tasked with moving, un-packaging and installing numerous bulky and heavy pieces of “furniture.” Between planning, manufacturing, shipping and installation, cabinetry can represent significant cost when installing or remodeling a kitchen.
Moreover, while quality of materials and craftsmanship may vary, the end-user, i.e., the homeowner, primary only sees the front face (and inside) of the cabinets. A large portion of the material, weight, structure, and craftsmanship is hidden once a cabinet is installed. Furthermore, because of the inherent structure of box-framed cabinets, there is often a significant amount of unusable space, especially when a series of adjacent cabinets are installed. Accordingly, much of the cost associated with kitchen cabinetry does not benefit the homeowner.